Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-12-07

the widow of any soldier or sailor who
lost his life while in service, while she
remains unmarried, shall receive the ben
efts of this Act subject to the same condl-
lions as to property and income as herein
provided. Section 8 makes it the duty OF
the Comptroller General to furnish blanks,
&c. Section 10 imposes a punishment
upon any person who shall discount, shave
or in any manner speculate IN the claim
of any soldier, sailor or widow under this
Act, of fine not exceeding one hundred
dollars or imprisonment not exceeding
thirty days, or both at the discretion or
the Court. Section IL provides a punish
ment by fine not exceeding two hundred
dollars or Imprisonment not more than
six months or both for any person who
shall %fraudulently personate any soldier,
sailor or widow for the purpose of obtain
ing the benefits of this Act.
This bill passed the Senate by a unanl-
NOUS vote of the white Senators, the two
negro Senators voting against it. l have
given a pretty full synopsis of this bill, as
there is scarcely any doubt of its passage
by the House, and it is of general interest.
It will be seer that the bill has been care
fully guarded in order to prevent fraud or
indiscriminate relief. While I think the
cost to the State will be more than is esti-
mated by those who have investigated the
matter, vet it does not become the State OF
South Carolina to sickle or this question.
For nearly a quarter of a century these
needy, disabled and destitute veterans
have struggled along in poverty ana sui
fering and have never murmured, KNOW
ing the poverty of their State. They have
in this displayed the same patience and
patriotism that moved them to respond to
the call of their State in 1861, and support
ed them in four years of war, prlvatlon.
and danger. This is a small sum to each
of them, but it will help-groWing old as
they are-in smoothing their pathway to
the grave, by furnishing them in their last
DAYS some of the necessities of life.
A joint resolution proposing a constltu-
tional amendment abolishing the office
of county commissioner as a constitution
al Office, and also striking out all that por-
ton which defines the duties and powers
of county commissioners, will most prob
ably pass the Legislature this session. If
adopted by q vote of the people, this will
place it in the power of the Legislature to
devise a cheaper and simpler form of coun-
ty government, and while being cheaper,
will be better adapted to our conditions.
The probabilities are that the General
Assembly will not pass the bill to estab-
lish a separate agricultural college mac
cordance with Tillman'sidea. The major
ity seem to think that as yet agricultural
colleges are to a certain extent an expert
ment, and as the Farmers Convention of
York county we'll said, it could not be
done without an increase of taxation, and
this is an inopportune time, in view of the
near approach of the time for funding the
bonded debt of the State.
The Senate having cleared its calendar
took a recess until to morrow night. This
will enable many who have business at
home on sales-day to attend to it without
loss to their constituents.
JOHN G.. BLACK.